Anti-terrorism and human rights.

• Author: Conaway, Janelle
• Position: OAS

AS GOVERNMENT the threat of terrorism, they must ensure that any steps they take do not undermine human rights and civil liberties, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights cautioned in a new report.

"In the Commission's experience, when states have sacrificed fundamental rights in the name of fighting terrorism, the rule of law and democratic freedoms are eroded and the objectives of terrorism are ultimately advanced rather than diminished," Commission president Juan Mendez said in releasing the Report on Terrorism and Human Rights last December.

The comprehensive study advises the OAS member states of their international human rights obligations and offers recommendations on how to implement these rules and principles when developing and applying anti-terrorism initiatives.

In a news conference at the National Press Club, Mendez said the report is intended to help legislators and other policymakers develop responses to terrorism that take into account standards established in international law.

The Inter-American Commission began the report in the months following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as public debate intensified over what steps should be taken to combat terrorism, including measures to detain, prosecute, and punish those suspected of terrorist activities.

"The Commission's report attempts to provide clarification and guidance on these crucial issues, drawing upon the Commission's long-standing experience in dealing with human rights protections in the face of terrorism," said Mendez, who is director of the Center for Civil and Human Rights at Notre Dame University.

Since its creation more than forty years ago, the Inter-American Commission has considered...